Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (STEC); Virulence Factors, Pathologies Caused and Foods at Risk: Review

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an internationally recognized potent pathogen causing serious food outbreaks since the 1980s. Not all STECs are pathogenic, only EHECs (enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli) are pathogenic to humans. These pathogens include seven highly pathogenic serogroups (O157, O26, O103, O111, O121, O45 and O145). In particular, these serotypes can cause serious disease; hemorrhagic colitis (HC), hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and thrombotic and thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), especially in children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. The normal habitat of STECs is the gastrointestinal tract of humans and ruminants, which are healthy carriers. Fecal contamination of food with dozens of bacteria (STEC) is sufficient to cause serious foodborne illness. Shiga toxin (stx) produced by STEC, adhesion factor (intimin) and enterohemolysin E-hlyA are considered to be important virulence factors causing severe damage to various organs. These virulence factors are the origin of pathologies and complications caused by EHEC. This review, based on the analysis of dozens of articles in French and English, provides an overview of STEC virulence factors, STEC-induced human pathologies, and the main foods responsible for STEC foodborne illness.